let's give them something to talk about
by Bipsy Ave
Summary: Pepper and Tony have been caught on camera. Now, the only question is how they're going to deal with it. The answer? By frolicking in a hotel room, of course.


"… In other news, it appears that superhero tycoon Anthony Stark has found a new leading lady. Photographed last night, fellow CEO Virginia Potts accompanied Stark on a night out in Manhattan for what witnesses are calling an_ affectionate getaway. _Apparently, the two dined at New York's most luxurious venues for a romantic evening that is estimated to have cost thousands. And while it is not the first time that Iron Man has been rumored in a relationship, critics are saying that the affair is not to last. Robert Gall with the New York Times says, "Everything, if anything at all, will be demolished by Mr. Stark's infamous addiction to pretty things in short skirts. The public knows this, Tony knows this; it's not a far stretch to assume that Miss Potts is aware of it, and expecting it." When questioned, the couple gave no comment. Later tonight, is—"

As the brunette with the serious eyes jumped into the world's upcoming crisis, Pepper muted the screen. Aforementioned playboy was leaning against the bathroom door, looking far too dapper than any man in nothing but a towel should.

"You're dripping on the carpet," she tried, shoulders lifted up to her ears.

"Are they going over that same crap again? They saw us once, we get crap, they see us again, and the crap keeps coming. Didn't we tell Natashalie to take care of that?" Tony advanced, the arc reactor in his chest like a flame, and her a moth.

"Tony—"

"`Cause where I'm standing, it's like a whole crap _volcano_,"

She sighed and kicked her feet up on the long couch. She sensed his irritation, and she sensed the way he desperately tried to hide it. Pepper strongly believed that Tony didn't mind publicity as long as he was the one orchestrating it; particularly when it came to her, and their relationship. He was fine trying to schmooze her at some charity event, but when wild allegations were made at their honor…

He got pissed. And she didn't blame him. "It's just one more thing we'll have to deal with… we knew this wasn't going to be easy," she murmured. And, okay: she was pretty pissed, too. Also a little indignant, with a whole lot of _up yours_ thrown in for good measure.

Tony toppled on the cushions beside her manicured feet, slouched and pouty. He gestured accusingly at the television on the wall, "_Pepper._ They think I've taken you out, like, twice and I'm already bored of you! I mean have they _seen_ you? You're really hot. You're smart, you kept me in line for years. You're _good_ for me, I'm moderately toxic for you but you don't care, it's great," his voice was serious and his eyes widened in exclamation.

Pepper lifted her legs and gently spread them across his terrycloth-covered lap. Tony's warm eyes flicked to hers, but his arms remained crossed stubbornly. When she spoke, she tilted her head imploringly, "That was the nicest of the reports on us… they're like a hungry pack of wolves. But you and I know what's going on, and that's what really matters to me. "

It felt to Pepper like Tony wanted to prove something; maybe that he could make a relationship work, maybe that she was worth so much more than anyone gave her credit for. Either way, she could see him relaxing under her placation.

"They've never talked about you before like that," his voice had dropped several octaves, and was that possession she detected in his voice? "I don't like it," the stubborn cock of his jaw was back, and he looked at her defiantly. Daring her to have a problem with it.

Out of her peripheral vision, Pepper noticed the news anchor mouthing silently, but with great emphasis on nearly every word. Without glancing, she clicked it off. Pepper wanted to forget about the journalists, about the pictures everyone had of them leaving the restaurant, about the paparazzi that lately haunted her every time she stepped out of Stark Industries Headquarters. Pepper wanted to deal with one thing: the semi-naked, scarred man having a fit over what the world really thought of their relationship.

As stable-_ish_ as it might be.

After all, they hadn't taken three days off in New York to waste it worrying about how the shock of their new development would give the world whiplash.

"I don't like it either," Pepper admitted and tucked her hair behind her ears coyly, "We'll just have to prove everyone wrong," she whispered invitingly, and allowed the twitch of a smile to lopsidedly curve her mouth. When he leapt at her invitation and prowled forwards like some big cat, her legs fell open trustingly.

"Okay—_okay,_ we'll deal with it. Moderate nonchalance, large amounts of class, _maybe_ a socked reporter or two," he was quick to backtrack when she bit on his broad shoulder roughly, "fine. But if they come for us, I get a stick. A big one to beat them all off with." It was amazing how fast he would concede to her now that they were getting naked and naughty together. Not that Pepper would turn sex into currency, but it was a refreshing relief when he was so willing to agree.

Pepper's laughter arched back her throat, which he was quick to devour. Her neck was sensitive, and her peals of delight quickly turned to a groan that sounded like his name. Her itchy hands slid beneath the towel, which really was already half way off, and she cupped the impressive definition of his ass like an anchor to grind up into.

The shirt that she had stolen from him was tugged off onto the floor, her panties were ripped off her hips to her exasperation ("I'll buy you new ones, scout's honor.") and one of her long legs was hitched up onto the back of the couch.

They were ultra-responsive to the smallest touch, infused by years of watching each other and learning. He was endearingly vocal and when she arced up against his warm erection with an overbearing ferocity, he let rip a maniacal laughter that seldom anyone ever heard for its eccentricity. She chuckled at him and scratched up his spine, which she knew he loved, and he kissed her for all that she was worth.

The man was devilishly talented with his tongue. The fruits of a thousand years of practice, ending with her. Pepper felt so wanted by him: that he panted at her smallest coax, that he could make her beg but he _knew _when enough was enough… that even fucking against the world's most expensive couch felt like making love.

When his hips finally pistoned forwards and he sank into her wanting heat, she twisted around the plush suede with her arms stretched above her head, in her hair. Pepper displayed herself for him, and was rewarded when Tony's calloused hands tried to map ever slide and curve of her thin body. She grunted, moving in tandem with him. Pepper imagined that they were beautiful looking; it definitely _felt_ beautiful.

"Shit, Pepper. You can trust me. You trust me, right? I don't ever want to hurt you like that," Tony promised into her quivering breast. Even though he didn't elaborate, he didn't explain that she was the only woman he wanted, she could feel it in the way that they were connected. He meant it. Reverence like that wasn't just thrown around for no good reason.

"I trust you… uhn, I-…" Pepper's eyes fluttered shut as she came, large bursts of static that seemed to spurt from her womb, up her quaking torso into the glowing metal in his chest; a corporeal link between their hearts. His pace quickened and the arc reactor pressed into her sternum as she sagged in his arms. Lazily, Pepper weaved her fingers into his damp hair as he reared back his head and gave a mighty sigh.

When Tony orgasmed, his eyes snapped open and frantically searched her face; she was there with thin lids at half-mast, watching him moving above her. After he had relaxed from what seemed to be a satisfying coital moment, he rolled on his side and left her empty. Pepper, slightly damp from the leftover dew on his body and of sweat, turned so that she faced away from the back of the couch. Half on his chest and half off, they soothed each other in a short moment of lull.

But alas, Tony was, well, Tony. "I trust you too. Not that I ever thought you were slutty, Pepper. `Cause you're totally not."

"Gee, you have such a way with words,"

"You bet. Speaking of that, we should have a press conference. Invite everyone, set the record straight,"

Pepper frowned, and pressed her hand against the blue glow in Tony's chest. The light leaked through her fingers and cast a halo up her arm. "About… us?" Pepper contemplated it. They were joint CEOs now, she had been his personal assistant, the tabloids were already running wild… it seemed like at that moment, stepping in front of the world and announcing that they were going steady would just add fuel to the fire.

The pyromaniac in her liked it just a bit too much. Not that she'd ever admit it.

"You and me. Come on, people are going to have to get used to us in public. You're stuck with me," Tony splayed a big hand across her hip and smirked lecherously. Pepper rolled her eyes, but battled back a smirk.

With the floating grace of a woman who had just been given the best lay ever, Pepper fluidly maneuvered over Tony and stood. Tony meanwhile just watched her with an obvious interest, perched on his elbows, as she sauntered across the soft gold carpet in naked glory. Pepper was not shy, but all the same she tossed a _look_ over her shoulder and offhandedly slipped on the button-up shirt that Tony had thrown off.

He perked. "That's my shirt again," Pepper smiled. She enjoyed the musky smell that surrounded her for it was almost as good as the real thing.

"Don't worry, it's just for a second," she was condescending as she flipped her hair out of the shirt's collar.

"Keep it. Looks better on you." With that, Tony rolled to his feet and meandered around the hotel room, looking for socks and underwear.

Pepper paused on her trek to the shower and looked over her shoulder, head slightly tilted, to just see out of the corner of her eye. The man's dark hair was messy and pulled in patchwork clumps, the muscles stretched across his back twitched deliciously as he attempted to wrangle a pair of boxers, and she noted how completely in love with him she was.

Pepper was foolish. Pepper was head over heels for Tony Stark.

She turned, his shirt tails brushing the tops of her thighs, and leaned against the bathroom doorway much as he had done earlier. "Okay," she breathed, arms loose at her sides, lip nibbled between her white teeth.

Stark glanced up with his expression childishly open, and parroted her, "Okay?"

"Let's have a press conference. Makes it official, right?"

A crazy grin picked his entire demeanor up. Pepper returned it from across the room.


End file.
